PRE-EST
Stiftung Kiepenheuer-Institut fuer Sonnenphysik (Germany) - University College London (United Kingdom) - Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior Deinvestigaciones Cientificas (Spain) - Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (Italy) - Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Italy) - Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Wissenschaften EV (Germany) - Stockholms Universitet (Sweden) - The Queen's University of Belfast (United Kingdom) - Leibniz-Institut Fur Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP) (Germany) - Fondazione Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno (Switzerland) Universitetet I Oslo (Norway) - The University Of Sheffield (United Kingdom) - The Provost, Fellows, Foundation Scholars & The Other Members Of Board Of The College Of The Holy & Undivided Trinity Of Queen Elizabeth Near Dublin (Ireland) - Sveuciliste U Zagrebu - Geodetski Fakultet (Croatia) - Astronomicky UstAV AVCR VVI (Czech Republic) Astronomical Institute of The Slovak Academy of Sciences (Slovakia) - National Observatory of Athens (Greece) - Universite Paul Sabatier Toulouse III (France) - Universitaet Graz (Austria) - Uniwersytet Wroclawski (Poland) Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem (Hungary)
Abstract
The European Solar Telescope (EST) will be a revolutionary Research Infrastructure that will play a major role in answering key questions in modern Solar Physics. This 4-meter class solar telescope, to be located in the Canary Islands, will provide solar physicists with the most advanced state-of-the-art observing tools to transform our understanding of the complex phenomena that drive the solar magnetic activity. The principal objective of the present Preparatory Phase is to provide both the EST international consortium and the funding agencies with a detailed plan regarding the implementation of EST.
The specific objectives of the proposed preparatory phase are:
- to explore possible legal frameworks and related governance schemes that can be used by agencies to jointly establish, construct and operate EST as a new research infrastructure, with the implementation of an intermediate temporary organisational structure, as a previous step for future phases of the project;
- to explore funding schemes and funding sources for EST, including a proposal of financial models to make possible the combination of direct financial and in-kind contributions towards the construction and operation of EST;
- to compare the two possible sites for EST in the Canary Islands Astronomical Observatories and prepare final site agreements;
- to engage funding agencies and policy makers for a long-term commitment which guarantees the construction and operation phases of the Telescope;
- to involve industry in the design of EST key elements to the required level of definition and validation for their final production;
- to enhance and intensify outreach activities and strategic links with national agencies and the user communities of EST.
